Internationals down but not yet out

BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2009 The Presidents Cup | Day Three | 11 Oct 2009

Three points separate the US and International teams after day three of the 2009 Presidents Cup in San Francisco, the honours on Saturday going to the Americans after they won the morning Foursomes by 3½ to 1½ and then shared the honours in the afternoon Fourball matches 2½ to 2½.

With now 12½ points against the Internationals 9½, the US side is just 5 points from regaining the cup and winning it for the 6th time in eight encounters. With twelve Singles matches remaining, the Internationals face a herculean, although not impossible, task if they are to reach the all important points tally of 17½ for them to win the encounter. They would need to win a massive eight points, which given what we have seen so far this week, may well be a bridge too far.

While several matches finished early this afternoon it would take until the final putt of the day in the final match between Phil Mickelson and Sean O’Hair and their opponents, Vijay Singh and Tim Clark, for the outcome of day three and perhaps the Cup itself to be decided.

None of the four players were able to break the deadlock at the par five 18th and so the crucial one point was split, denying the Internationals of what might have been the point to make the difference on day four.

A brilliant final hole eagle in the morning Foursomes by Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker turned around a match which seemed for so long likely to go to the International pairing of Mike Weir and Tim Clark. Down by two holes with six holes to play, the Americans birdie the 13thand 17th and then eagled the 18th to snatch the victory and the crucial one point.

For much of the afternoon Fourballs today, the Internationals led in three of the five matches and appeared to be staging the fightback needed to give them at least hope for the final day Singles matches.

Ernie Els and Mike Weir were always ahead in their match against Zach Johnson and Justin Leonard and when the Americans conceded the 15th to the International pairing that match was over 5&3 and the overall margin had been reduced the 10 – 8.

The margin became just one when Robert Allenby and Geoff Ogilvy halved the 17th with a birdie to win 2&1 but soon after the Americans moved two ahead again when Jim Furyk and Anthony Kim were conceded an eagle at the final hole for a two up victory over Adam Scott and Angel Cabrera.

The Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker match against Ryo Ishikawa and Y.E. Yang was never in doubt although the Internationals birdied the 13th, 14th and 15th to keep the match alive until a conceded Tiger Woods birdie at the 16th confirmed the inevitable. The overall score was then 12 to 9.

Still on the golf course, the remaining match’s outcome was taking even greater significance give the margin it would set heading into the final day Singles. Clark and Singh had led from the second hole in their match against Mickelson and O’Hair and were still two up through 11 holes.

Mickelson’s birdie at the 12th and another by O’Hair at the 13th had the match all square and the deadlock remained until the final hole with birdies traded in three of the five closing holes.

The combination between Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker has been the feature of proceedings on the opening three days, the pair the leading over-all individual point scorers with four each while Mickelson has also been unbeaten with 3 wins and one halved match, Vijay Singh, also unbeaten, with two wins and two halved matches and Ernie Els three wins and one loss.

Lucas Glover, Camilo Villegas and Angel Cabrera are the only players not to have scored any points although Cabrera can consider himself a little unlucky. He almost singlehandedly kept partner, Adam Scott, and himself in their match against Anthony Kim and Jim Furyk before going down at the final hole.

Now the attention moves to Sunday and whether the Internationals can stage that near impossible comeback.

Sunday’s Singles Matchups

Adam Scott vs Stewart Cink

Angel Cabrera vs Jim Furyk

Camilo Villegas vs Hunter Mahan

Ernie Els vs Sean O’Hair

Geoff Ogilvy vs Steve Stricker

Mike Weir vs Justin Leonard

Retief Goosen vs Phil Mickelson

Robert Allenby vs Anthony Kim

Ryo Ishikawa vs Kenny Perry

Tim Clark vs Zach Johnson

Vijay Singh vs Lucas Glover

Y.E. Yang vs Tiger Woods